Day 23 "Rain Equals No Baseball"

Day Summary: To cap off last night I ended up hanging out with my friend Katie Owen. I also hung out with two of her friends and we all decided to go ice blocking. I wasn't really down for it at first because it was only 8:30 and sneaking somewhere might get us in trouble. I went ahead and did it anyway and it was a lot of fun. We jumped over a fence at the local golf course and slid down hills on big pieces of ice. It was lot of fun and it was also very painful when I fell. Anyways it was good to get out and have a good time especially since I won't be around all that much when season starts along with school. This morning wasn't the best of mornings that I have had. I couldn't fall asleep till pretty late last night and for some reason this morning I woke up at 5:50. I have no idea why, I was having a really cool dream then I all of a sudden just woke up. Usually when this happens I can fall back asleep but this morning was different. I kept sneezing and each time I did it woke me up even more. So I ended up with only about 6 hours of sleep through the night and that isn't good especially since I have practice and probably a long night ahead of me. I tried to look on the bright side to the situation by being able to go to breakfast this morning. I got ready walked outside and realized that it was raining! I was pretty stoked to see some rain and cold weather here in California because it isn't necessary to feel like summer in the middle of January. After breakfast I walked back and kinda just sat around the room doing not much of anything. I set up a cup on the towel curtain and tried to make a ping pong ball in it. It is actually quite harder then it seemed to be and I have only made one in out of about 100. Well after that I did something useful I got an application together to turn in for a scholarship through my dad's work, At&T. Money for school next year is going to be rough and I need all I can get. So I am going to have to really crack down and find some extra money so that I won't be having to pay back loans for 30 years. Then later on Hawkins came in, stole a piece of fruit, and then asked if I wanted to play some ping pong. I did in fact go down and played with him and then we went to go work out. I got a good work out in today and it is something that I definitely needed. I felt real good today and felt like I got a lot done. While we were lifting Hawkins called the coach and found out that today's practice was canceled! It was poring all morning and it was kind of expected. Today is the first day practice has ever been canceled since I have been here. It was kind of cool but I was kind of looking forward to practice today. Well hopfully the rain will hold up tomorrow so we can be able to play our alumni game. Well after lifting I went to lunch and sat with my buddy Nick. The guy who loves it when I put his name in here. Anyways after that I really didn't know what to do with myself since I usually go to practice right after lunch. I kind of just sat around cleaned up the room and watched some NipTuck. I was trying to find a good movie to watch but no one is really around on the floor so I had no luck. I took a little nap as well since I got no sleep last night. After that I got cleaned up and then met my friend Emily (Em-head) and we went to her fathers restaurant Tony Romas it was pretty good food and I really enjoyed chilling and talking with her. I felt kind of bad because there really wasn't to much to do afterwards but we still managed to have a good rest of the night. I headed back up to my room around 9:15 to get ready for bed and call it a night. Today was super relaxing and tomorrow should definitely be fun. The Alumni game, seeing all the family, then baseball dinner thing afterwards. I can't wait. Hawaii is only one week away!!

Daily Reading: 1 Timothy 6:17-18
I searched today for a verse in where it talks about God providing for us. There are many things in life that become stressful because it always seems like we give more then we receive. One thing that is a problem around the world is having enough money to go around. Now I definitely wasn't raised in a rich family and didn't have all that much money growing up and I still don't. Although I am under these circumstances I still have everything I need. Sometimes I think I have to much. Yet I still cringe every morning when I receive a text message of my backing account letting me know that I have less then $10 in it. I have realized a long time ago that money isn't everything. If I had money I would probably go out spending it so it is best that I don't have any. Now there are still somethings that I need God to provide me with. Some of them I pray for every day but I am in no rush. One thing that I haven't really spent to much time praying about is the money for school. Biola is about 34,000 dollars a year to stay on campus and to have a meal plan but doesn't include books. It is worth every penny but my family and I have to be able to have pennies to be able for them to be worth it. That may have not made sense but the fact is that we may be short coming up in the next few years. God has provided me with so much in order to go to this wonderful school. A very high baseball scholarship, a great amount of money given to me by the government, and other grants and things. It is amazing to think of all the ways he has provided for me. If it wasn't for all of this I wouldn't be able to attend this school. In God providing these things for me I need to be able to use this all in wise ways. For instance, I need to take my schooling seriously and need to make the best out of every opportunity I get. I also need to work hard in baseball so that my scholarship stays up to the amount I first received. Now to the set of verses. Ephesus was a wealthy city, and the Ephesian church probably had many wealthy members. Paul advised Timothy to deal with any potential problems by teaching that having riches carries great responsibilities. If you have been blessed with wealth, then thank the Lord. Don't be proud and don't trust in your money. Use your money to do good. Be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share. No matter how much money you have, your life should demonstrate that God controls the wealth that he has placed under you care. AMEN! Shoot, Paul couldn't have explained this better. This verse meaning doesn't just have to focus on the money that God has provided to anyone but everything God has provided to us. We should use everything He has given us to out advantage by using it in a way to shine His light. If I am here getting a legit Christan education for less then 1/5 of the price and I don't go out and use it what good is it? Therefore I need to use everything God has given to me and not waist any of it. With the things and money I may need later on I need to be able to trust God that He will provide me with the things I need and others as well. When I receive these things I won't be foolish and with God's help use it all in the wisest way possible. I love it when god uses me and others to show the true meaning of life. I can't express enough of how much I love Him. As long as I trust and believe in Him there is nothing ever to worry about in life. No big deal.

Daily Prayer:
Oh God,
I surrender to You Lord Jesus. I thank You so much for all You have provided me with. I pray that with these things please help me to use them all wisely and not put them to waste. I pray for my school Lord. Please help me to somehow come up up with the money I need to be able to pay for the necessary things. I pray also Lord for the Church in which my mom's family attends. They are low on money God and they need all of the financial support they can get. I also pray for Calvary Church the one which I grew up in God, please bless them as well and provide them with the things they need as they are too going through some financial difficulties. Next Lord please help me to not be selfish with the things I have God. Help me to share with others and to not even think before I do so. I pray to you now Lord for my frustration and anger, it haunts me almost every single day and I can't stand it. I am catching myself better every time I do it but it still takes a toll on me. Help me to just calm down and realize that it all really isn't a big deal and everything is going to be okay. I also pray Lord that I am tempted to go off my diet and eat unhealthy things. Please help me stick to what I want to accomplish and stay away from the bad foods. I pray God that You will give me a Christ-like attitude in everything I do and that people will be able to see You through me. Keep me from evil temptations and give me the desire to desire You Lord. I am becoming real lazy in my writings it seems like more and more each day. Please help me to stay focused and to realize who and what I am doing it for. I pray for the pains in my body please heal my shoulder especially God so that I may be able to throw. I pray for this upcoming baseball season please help us all to play to the best of our ability and to play together as a team. Please keep us all from serious injury Lord. I pray that You will keep the weather dry tomorrow so that we may play our alumni game. I pray also for our Hawaii trip that we can all have fun and the trip will be stress free. I pray also that I can find some type of Internet connection so I may continue to write this blog. Now I would like to pray for my friends and family. I pray that if they have any kind of problem for You to help them Lord. Help them to trust and seek You in all that they do. I pray especially for the ones that don't know You God. Help them to some how find a way to see the Truth. Please use me in whatever way possible to show and teach them God. I pray again for my dream girl Lord. Show her to me when You are ready and please help me to be patient in the process of finding her. God help me also to not shut people out based on appearance or anything. In other words help me not to judge anyone and help me to love everyone equally. Now God I pray for all of the things that I may have not though of tonight that I am missing. I pray that You will bring the thoughts back into my head so I may pray for them. Please help me to get a good night sleep tonight as tonight was rough. I pray for these things in Your wonderful name.
AMEN.